


Hear Your Voice

by Purpledragon6



Category: Moominvalley (Cartoon 2019), Mumintroll | Moomins Series - Tove Jansson, 楽しいムーミン一家 | Moomin (Anime)
Genre: Deaf, Deaf Character, Gen, M/M, Sign Language, snufmin if you squint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-04
Updated: 2019-05-04
Packaged: 2020-02-23 19:47:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18708790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Purpledragon6/pseuds/Purpledragon6
Summary: After an incredibly harsh winter illness leaves Snufkin unable to hear, Moomintroll becomes adamant in his quest to help his friend regain his hearing- or at least learn how to speak to him again.





	Hear Your Voice

Hot rays from the early summer sun burned Moomin's fur as he sat at the bridge, waiting for Snufkin to come out of his tent for the day. A faded sorrow weight in the young troll's heart, as he reminded himself that he could not simply call to Snufkin to rouse him out of his tent anymore. He would have to wait, and respect Snufkin's privacy while doing so. Moomin forced himself to think of other things to pass the time. Such as when that first, chilly spring day had finally come, and he had awoken from his hibernation to greet his friend. 

* * *

  _A warm sun graced Moomin's humble window with its precense. Its soft rays warming his fur lovingly, like a gentle hug from Spring itself. Blue eyes flashed opened, and an excited twinge ran through Moomin as realization dawned on him that it was time to wake up. Snufkin should be home soon, and after such a harsh winter, the young troll was already longing to see him again._

_A quick glance outside his window alerted Moomin that he wouldn't have to wait much longer, as he could see his friend's green hat as it slowly approached their usual meeting place at the bridge just before Moominhouse. White paws shook with excitement, as Moomin pushed open his bedroom window and rushed hurried his way onto the ledge and down the rope ladder to meet his beloved friend. A somewhat far run, but still worth it. Any run would be worth it so long as his friend was with him again._

_The first thing he had noticed was the blanket Snufkin had worn around his shoulders. Thick, and sewn together with a strong thread and faded patches. It looked warm- much to warm for this time of year. Moomin had figured Snufkin had received it from one of the towns he had visited while coming home from the South. He would had asked Snufkin about it, but he soon caught sight of his friend's face. It was as worn as an old bedsheet, and just as pale as one. Snufkin's eyes were cast down towards the ground, and he didn't even utter a greeting. What was most bizarre, was how his harmonica had laid limpy against his hip. Its case looked as though it had not been open in quite some time._

_That fact that it wasn't out and being played now was even more bizarre of Snufkin. Usually, he'd play to wake the Spring flowers and Moomintroll, but this year- nothing. Not even a smile._

_"Oh! Are you sick, my friend-" Moomin began, pausing only when he noticed that Snufkin had not looked up at the sound of his friend's voice._

_The vagabond's eyes stayed glued on the boards of the bridge. He had begun to worry his bottom lip, and Moomin felt dread well up in his heart at the sight. Something was horribly wrong, and he knew it._

_"Snufkin?" Moomin began again, taking his friend's face in between his shaking paws and lifting it up so he could see him finally. "Whats wrong?"_

_"M-Moomin-" A terrible voice left Snufkin's lips. A terrible, unsure, cracking voice that did not sound like Snufkin's at all. It was unlike any voice Moomin had heard before in his life._

_"Oh! You are still sick- I should get mama and-" Moomin stopped, as Snufkin's own paws reached up to catch his to seemingly keep him from leaving._

_"I-I caught an illness of sorts in the South-" Snufkin began, his voice raising and lowering in pitch so often Moomin didn't think he could bare to hear anymore of it. It almost sounded ghostly. But of what, he hadn't the slightest clue._

_The words sounded like something Snufkin would say, but they came out as though some other creature at stolen them from him. It scared the troll to think such a thing._

_"Snufkin..."_

_"W-when I awoke one day- I could not hear a thing." Snufkin continued, casting his weary eyes up at Moomintroll finally. "I can not hear you either..."_

_"Snufkin... We must get you inside." Moomin exclaimed, all but pulling his friend towards Moomin house._

_He felt Snufkin's weight behind him, lazily following like a ragdoll in the arms of a child. It felt almost as if he were dragging a ghost or an absolute stranger into his home, but somewhere, deep inside of himself, Moomin knew it was still his good friend._

_And as luck would have it, so did Moominmama, who didn't need any sort of spoken explanation before she took to examining Snufkin, directing him to the nearest place to rest, and consulting her grandmother's book for what to do next. All the while, Moomin stayed at his friend's side, determined to help see him through this..._

_Even if he didn't quite know what this was._

* * *

A sudden pat on the head drew Moomin from his daydreaming as he turned to see Snufkin. Months of rest and care from Moominmama had done wonders for his one worn appearance, but both mama and the local doctors had said there was no telling if Snufkin's hearing would ever return to what it once was. Mrs. Fillyjock had stepped in only a few months ago to teach Snufkin (reluctantly) to speak again- Or rather- speak in a new way. 

Moomin gasped softly as he watched his friend raise his hands to speak. The young moomintroll took special care to note each sign. A flat, waving palm for a hello. Followed by two curled hands, connected at the knuckles and rotated forward, outward from Snufkin's body. Crossed fingers then met at his lips, and then arched away from his person, and then a single finger was pointed at Moomin.

How-... Are you!" Moomin cried happily, receiving a nod from Snufkin. "I can practically hear you again!"

Sometimes, it felt like a new game they were playing. Where Moomin would attempt to decipher what Snufkin was signing, like solving a Spinx's riddle during some grand adventure, only here the prize was a conversation with Snufkin!

The excitement faded quickly, however, as Moomin remembered Snufkin would not be able to hear him. With a shake of his head, he began to search deeply into his mind for a sign he could use to reply. Placing both paws to his chin, he brought them downward in what he believed to be the sign for _"good"._ Mrs. Fillyjock's lessons in her overly stuffy house usually ended with her shooing Moomintroll onto the porch, leaving him with a very limited vocabulary when compared to Snufkin. 

Then watched as Snufkin smiled warmly, shook his head, and brought his first two fingers and thumb together to sign _"No"._

"Very good, but "Good" is only one hand."


End file.
